Toggle switch clamp



June 11, 1957 A T. c. ESTES 2,795,663

TOGGLE SWITCH CLAMP Filed March 26, '1954 Fig. l

Fig. 3

: L 5 E I 34 i r: r :12' 38 "36 If I 1 /6 24 -;3 Thomas C. Estes IN V ENTOR.

United States Patento F TOGGLE swrrcn CLAMP Thomas c. Estes, Dallas,Tex.

Application March 26, 1954, Serial No. 419,028 4 Claims. (Cl. 200-44This invention relates to a toggle switch clamp and more specificallyprovides an attachment designed for use connection with electricswitches or circuit breakers having a pivoted actuating arm extendingthrough a slot in the face plate of the switch.

An object of this invention is to provide a toggle switch clamp forsecuring and looking a pivotal switch actuating arm in either its on oro position to prevent the operation of the switch by unauthorizedpersons, such as children or other people ignorant of the importance ofsuch switches.

A further object of this invention is to provide a toggle switch clampwhich may be utilized for securing a switch in either on or off positionwherein a person working on an electric circuit will be protected fromaccidental shock or injury caused by some unauthorized person turning onthe switch for connecting the electric circuit being repaired to asource of power.

Still another important object of this invention is to provide a toggleswitch clamp which may be utilized for retaining the actuating arm of atoggle switch or a circuit breaker in on" or off position, therebyproviding uninterrupted electrical energy to certain circuits asdesired.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a toggle switchclamp which is simple in construction, practical in operation, easy touse, well adapted for its purposes and relatively inexpensive tomanufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the toggle switch clamp of thepresent invention secured to the switch actuating arm and engaging thefront plate or cover plate of the switch housing:

Figure 2 is a detailed vertical section taken substantially alongsection line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing the details of construction of thetoggle switch clamp of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a detailed section taken substantially along section line3-3 of Figure 2 showing the details of construction of the inner end ofthe sleeve and the projecting extensions thereon;

Figure 4 is a section taken substantially along section line 44 ofFigure 2 showing the relationship of the sleeve and the projection onthe bight portion; and

Figure 5 is a detailed section taken substantially along section line5-5 of Figure 2 showing further relationship between the sleeve and theblock.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, it will be seen that thenumeral generally designates the toggle switch clamp of the presentinvention for use in conjunction with a switch having the usual faceplate' 12 and the pivotal actuating arm 14 that is usually con-2,795,663 Patented June 11, 7

. 2 structed of some plastic type material. The clamp 10 of the presentinvention may be utilized with a conventional toggle switch, circuitbreaker or the like wherein the actuating arm is pivoted from an ofl toan on p0 Sitlfill;

The switch clamp 10 includes a block of material 16 7 having paralleledges 18 and 20 forming the top and bottom of the block and angularlyrelated edges 22 and 24 forming the outer face and the inner face of theblock 16. The edges 18 and 20 are angularly arranged in relation to theswitch face 12 and the edge 18 is longer than the edge 20. The block 16is provided with an aperture 26 extending completely therethrough andincluding recessed areas 28 adjacent its junction with the inner face24. A U-shaped sleeve 30 having a bight portion 32 and a pair ofparallel legs 34 is positioned in the aperture 26 and each of the legs34 is provided with an outv'vai'dly extending projection 36 for engagingin the recesse'd areas 28. Each of the legs 34 is provided withserrations 38 on opposing inner surfaces for engaging the switch arm 14extending through the face plate 12 of the switch. The bight portion 32of the U-shaped sleeve 30 has projections 40 integral therewith whichengage the block 10 on each side of the aperture 26 and rest against theouter surface 22 of the block 16. A thumbscrew 44 is screw threaded intoa suitable threaded bore 46 and engages the outer surface of one of thelegs 34 of the U-shaped sleeve 30 for urging the legs 34 towards eachother, thereby securely clamping the arm 14 between the legs 34 byutilization of the serrations 38 in an obvious manner.

The operation of the device will be readily understood. With the switcharm 14 substantially as shown in Figure 2, the sleeve 30 and block 16are inserted over the switch arm 14 and the thumb screw 44 manipulatedto securely clamp the U-shaped sleeve 30 and the block 16 to the arm 14with the inner face 24 of the block 16 being in intimate contact withthe face plate 12 of the switch thereby preventing pivotal movement ofthe switch arm 14. When it is desired to change the position of theswitch arm 14, the block 16 is removed by manipulating the thumbscrew 44in an obvious manner, and the switch arm 14 is pivoted downwardly, andthe block 16 is then reversed and placed over the switch arm 14 in anobvious manner with thelong edge 18 then facing upwardly in relation tothe switch arm 14. This specific arrangement and shape of the block 16provides easy access to the thumbscrew 44 at all times, and alsoindicates the position of the pivotal arm 14. Obviously, the device maybe constructed by any suitable material such as wood, plastic, metal orthe like. The relative simplicity and cheapness of construction willenhance the feasibility of this device for holding the switch arms in adesired position.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will bereadily understood and further explanation is believed to beunnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction shown and described, andaccordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A device for looking a pivotal actuating arm of an electrical switchin its ofi or on position with the arm being disposed in acute angularrelation with the switch body, said device comprising an independentblock having a generally flat inner surface and an outer surface spacedtherefrom, said block having substantial thickness and having apassageway extending inwardly from the inner surface thereof a distancefor receiving a major portion of the actuating arm, the longitudinalaxis of said passageway being in acute angular relation to the plane ofthe inner surface of the block and being substantially the same as theacute angular relationship between the actuating arm and switch bodywhereby the actuating arm may be received in the passageway in eitherposition of the arm by inverting the block, and clamp means extendinglaterally into the passageway for securing the block on the arm with theinner face thereof in abutting engagement with the switch body adjacentthe actuating arm thereby preventing pivotal movement of the actuatingarm, the actuating arm of the switch forming the sole support for theblock.

the inner surface of the block engaging the front face of the switch,said socket extending angularly into said block for receiving the arm innormal position thereby preventing pivotal movement of the actuating armfrom the normal position,a U-shaped sleeve disposed in said socket, saidsleeve having serrations on opposing inner 4 surfaces of the leg membersfor engaging the arm, and said means includes a thumbscrew threaded insaid block and engaging one leg of the U-shaped sleeve for securelylocking the arm to the sleeve.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2 wherein the legs of said sleeveare provided with outwardly flared projections received in recessedareas in said block, and the bight portion of said sleeve is providedwith an extension for engaging said block thereby securely locking thesleeve in the socketf i 4. The structure as defined in claim 3 whereinsaid block is trapezoidal with the thumbscrew positioned in the longerside thereof thereby providing easier access to the thumbscrew andindicating the position of the switch arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,663,768 Sorensen Dec. 22, 1953

